Definitive versions. Original recording verses reworked release.
Posted by: JamieL on 27 January 2009
I have several recordings where artists have gone back to early compositions and either rerecorded them, or significantly remixed them.
In general I do find that I nearly always prefer the original version, even if it has bum notes, or dodgy equipment limiting the music. I like the character of the artist striving to achieve the sound. I am specifically thinking of studio recordings, not live reworkings which I feel are something quite different.
I am quite biased towards the sounds of certain instruments, and against others, particularly with keyboards, 70's Hammonds and Mellotrons I love, 80's DX7s I dislike. When Tangerine Dream released a box set in the early 90's where modern digital synth tracks were dubbed over analogue synth recordings I found it greatly detracted from the music, the two sounds did not belong together.
I am most aware of this with instrumental artists such as Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, etc.
I also have a few tracks where a vocal has been redubbed on a 'best of' album, and again I find that I am wedded to the original version.
That said, I am probably a bit obsessive about having a version that I consider definitive, as when I bought some albums on CD, that I had owned on vinyl, I found that sometimes I missed scratches that I had become accustomed to over the years.
There is one band who I do feel have greatly improved their tracks by re-recording them, and that is Kraftwerk, 'The Mix' I think is a fantastic album, but I am sure some find it a disappointment as I have found with the other artists I mention.
With Jazz or Classical music, there is probably a subtle difference as a definitive version is down to the interpretation of the performers, rather than a writer trying to achieve a recording of a new piece of music, although this does happen sometimes.
Do others have pieces of music that they feel have either been brought to life by a new recording, or feel that many re-recordings are pointless?
In general I do find that I nearly always prefer the original version, even if it has bum notes, or dodgy equipment limiting the music. I like the character of the artist striving to achieve the sound. I am specifically thinking of studio recordings, not live reworkings which I feel are something quite different.
I am quite biased towards the sounds of certain instruments, and against others, particularly with keyboards, 70's Hammonds and Mellotrons I love, 80's DX7s I dislike. When Tangerine Dream released a box set in the early 90's where modern digital synth tracks were dubbed over analogue synth recordings I found it greatly detracted from the music, the two sounds did not belong together.
I am most aware of this with instrumental artists such as Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, etc.
I also have a few tracks where a vocal has been redubbed on a 'best of' album, and again I find that I am wedded to the original version.
That said, I am probably a bit obsessive about having a version that I consider definitive, as when I bought some albums on CD, that I had owned on vinyl, I found that sometimes I missed scratches that I had become accustomed to over the years.
There is one band who I do feel have greatly improved their tracks by re-recording them, and that is Kraftwerk, 'The Mix' I think is a fantastic album, but I am sure some find it a disappointment as I have found with the other artists I mention.
With Jazz or Classical music, there is probably a subtle difference as a definitive version is down to the interpretation of the performers, rather than a writer trying to achieve a recording of a new piece of music, although this does happen sometimes.
Do others have pieces of music that they feel have either been brought to life by a new recording, or feel that many re-recordings are pointless?
Let It Be ... Naked is my favourite re-make - great idea to axe the dreadful Phil Spector production.
Now if only somebody could look at the Genesis back catalogue and do Foxtrot ... Naked
Now if only somebody could look at the Genesis back catalogue and do Foxtrot ... Naked
quote:Originally posted by ROTF:
Let It Be ... Naked is my favourite re-make - great idea to axe the dreadful Phil Spector production.
Now if only somebody could look at the Genesis back catalogue and do Foxtrot ... Naked
Totally agree. I much prefer the stripped-down version.
I heard that Van Morrison was re-recording Astral Weeks as a live album. That might be interesting.